The arrival in Moray of spaceflight company, Orbex, which is expected to bring more than 130 jobs to the region, has been welcomed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
Orbex has set up a new Scottish base at the Enterprise Park Forres, which opened this week (7 February).
It will include a rocket design and integration facility, a space mission control centre and executive offices.
Recruitment is well underway for the many skilled technical and well-paid jobs at the new centre.
The company's move to create a base in Scotland follows the announcement in July 2018 of funding for a satellite vertical launch facility in Sutherland. Orbex plans to launch satellites from the new facility.
Speaking at the opening of the new premises, Charlotte Wright, HIE chief executive, said:"Today is a significant day for Orbex, for Moray and for the Highlands and Islands.
"The space sector has the potential to make a positive impact on communities across the region. The opening of Orbex's premises is one of the first tangible signs of that positive impact.
"The Moray economy is rich in aviation, technology and advanced engineering skills, stemming from the RAF presence and of course the energy sector. The Enterprise Park Forres is already home to a cluster of technology companies. We very much welcome Orbex to the Park and look forward to the company becoming part of that growing cluster."
Historically, the world looked to Scotland for our trains and ships - now, with our dynamic and growing space sector, it's our satellites.
By the early 2020s we plan to see Scottish-built satellites launched from site in the north of Scotland.
Glasgow designs and builds more small satellites than any other city in Europe.
Scotland's space industry plans to grow its value to £4 billion by 2030.
Over 180 organisations and 7,600 employees.
Scotland has a dynamic and growing space sector, which focuses on a number of high-tech, high skill and research and development intensive areas. The space industry in Scotland has over 180 organisations, with 7,600 employees at the cutting edge of their specialisms - backed by strong relationships with researchers in Scottish universities and research pools.
By securing the development of the UK Spaceport in Scotland, the sector now has the opportunity to deliver transformational growth for the Scottish economy.
